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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Exercising On The Go

I've heard many people say they don't have time to exercise because of their busy schedule. If your job requires heavy manual labor, then that may not be a concern for you, but for most people who sit at a desk or in front of a computer all day, they only end up exercising their fingers while they are at work.

I know that the work environment is usually not the most convenient place for working out, but here are some simple things you can do to add more physical exertion and activity to your daily schedule.

1. Walk or ride a bike to work whenever possible. At least park further away in the parking lot.

2. Take the stairs instead of elevators or escalators in order to get more exercise.

3. When you get stressed or tired, drop and do 20 push ups. You can also try wall sits, squats, lunges, or calf raises. No equipment is needed for these exercises and they can be done in under a minute.

4. Get up from you desk at least every hour and walk around to get your blood flowing.

5. Sit on a stability ball instead of a chair in order to work your core and stabilizer muscles.

6. Be aware of your posture and try to sit up straight and avoid slouching.

7. Stretch your muscles. Sitting still for long periods of time is rough on your body. Stretching is also a great way to relieve stress.

8. Exercise on your lunch break. Occasionally I go to the nearby gym on my lunch break for a brief workout. I may just work one or two body parts and might feel strange being there in my street clothes and only lifting for 10-20 minutes, but it is a great way to get some exercise in and blow off some stream during the workday.

Sometimes we focus too much on our comfort and efficiency at the expense of our health. Most Americans have sedentary jobs and can afford to expend more energy and be more active. It doesn't take much time to increase your activity level. We all have 24 hours in our day, so make sure you are improving the quality of your life by making to exercise.

2 comments:

I definitely agree you can always get to exercise when you try. All those incidental exercising goes along way.I always take the stairs and try to park furthest away in a carpark ( not the closest like many).And I prefer to do sprints and intervals when I don't have time.I'm always doing something even in front of the TV I would be stretching and not just sitting.Raymond

I'm with you on this one, comfort is definitely taken as a priority over health; the irony being it leads to discomfort down the road. I often work on my posture and breathing exercises at my desk, though it has to be incognito if I wanna avoid negative comments!

Disclaimer

I am excited about the information I share on this site, but Your Fitness Quest is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. If you have health concerns, you should consult a qualified medical professional. You should also consult a physician before you start any exercise program.